(The Canadian Press distributed the following article on August 28.)
OTTAWA — Canadians say they often see some reckless behaviour at rail crossings, including drivers who ignore flashing signals or even swing around barriers.
A survey by the non-profit Traffic Injury Research Foundation, released yesterday, said 90% of drivers surveyed want to see flashing lights and barriers or overpasses installed at all level crossings.
The foundation surveyed 1,200 drivers last May. It found that while most drivers aren’t worried about level crossings, a quarter are very concerned about the issue.
Drivers in Quebec and Atlantic Canada expressed the greatest concerns.
About 40% overall said they worried that drivers don’t pay enough attention at rail crossings.
Of those surveyed, about one in 10 said they had seen motorists ignore flashing warning lights and about one in 20 said they had seen drivers actually skirt barriers to cross the tracks ahead of an oncoming train.
About 42% of those surveyed said level crossings should be replaced by overpasses and almost half said drivers should have to stop at all level crossings.
Herb Simpson, the foundation’s president, said there were 261 collisions at level crossings in Canada last year, which killed 46 people and injured another 42.
He said he hopes drivers haven’t become complacent about the risks.
W.A. Rowat, president of the Railway Association of Canada, said the survey provides a useful snapshot of driver attitudes toward railway crossing safety.
“We hope it will help policy makers take further action to improve highway-railway crossings and further reduce the incidence of death and injury in Canada. We have made progress, but more can be done.”
The foundation measures changes in opinions, gauges improvements and identifies problems related to the driving habits and road safety practices of Canadians.
This was its third annual survey of road safety issues.